*** The 2014 Gym Rats Thread ***

[The Chemist]

12 Weeks (SL cycle?) but yes, but definitely not in a deficit!

Sorry yes my first 12 week/36 work out cycle

 

[mrthingyx]

I have never done Wendler, but the entire notion of going to the gym and not feeling like I have been hit by a train is somewhat alien.

I understand what you're after, but I don't think you will realise the benefits from Wendler if you don't do worthwhile accessory work. I could be wrong, of course, but there we go.

Ultimately, you could always embark on a similar training programme but just down more and better-timed calories and sleep more.

Ultimately, these things exist in balance: where do you want the benefits of whatever it is you do? At med school or in the gym? It is possible to get both, but that takes more creative thought than an internet post warrants, but you just have to consider whether you want awesome in the gym to the detriment of your student career, or awesome at university and much slower progress in the gym, given that university comes around only once for most people, I know what I would do... think hard and balance the two.

 

[davestar_delux]

Hey,

has anyone else since they got good at squatting, just love stroking and feeling your thighs and legs?

 

[tom_e]

Hey,

has anyone else since they got good at squatting, just love stroking and feeling your thighs and legs?

full homo?

 

[Freefaller]

I have never done Wendler, but the entire notion of going to the gym and not feeling like I have been hit by a train is somewhat alien.

I understand what you're after, but I don't think you will realise the benefits from Wendler if you don't do worthwhile accessory work. I could be wrong, of course, but there we go.

Ultimately, you could always embark on a similar training programme but just down more and better-timed calories and sleep more.

Ultimately, these things exist in balance: where do you want the benefits of whatever it is you do? At med school or in the gym? It is possible to get both, but that takes more creative thought than an internet post warrants, but you just have to consider whether you want awesome in the gym to the detriment of your student career, or awesome at university and much slower progress in the gym, given that university comes around only once for most people, I know what I would do... think hard and balance the two.

My Doms lasts for the whole week . I think if you tweak Wendler correctly it can be a heck of a good programme especially looking at beyond Wendler.

 

[Begbie]

My Doms lasts for the whole week . I think if you tweak Wendler correctly it can be a heck of a good programme especially looking at beyond Wendler.

Yep, my first cycle (again) has been all sorts of doms. Though I completely underestimated my 1RM for the first cycle.

15 reps on 5/3/1 week! Was good though, as I have been off lifting for a while due to injuries and a whole other bunch of excuses. So a week of testing 1RM, which I didn't want to do to soon from not lifting properly. I seem to have lost a fair bit of strength but I know I'll be fully back to what I was within 4 months hopefully.

 

[Suarez7]

Do you guys lock out on certain exercises like bench and shoulder press?

I've seen most of the huge guys only seem to do half reps but apparently it holds tension in the right muscles.

 

[Begbie]

Do you guys lock out on certain exercises like bench and shoulder press?

I've seen most of the huge guys only seem to do half reps but apparently it holds tension in the right muscles.

I don't lock out on shoulder press. Shoulders do not like it, but then I still wouldn't class it as half reps.

 

[Freefaller]

As long as you don't hyperextend then locking should keep tension.

 

[iMacMart]

Guys

I have a click in my right shoulder when doing seated shoulder press, not painful just puts me off when try to concentrate on a smooth lift, however should I get it checked out or ignore and carry on lifting?

Thanks

 

[mrthingyx]

Make sure you check out the mobility thread as you probably have tight pecs, delts and rotator cuff muscles.

And are you keeping your elbow in good alignment with your shoulder as you press?

 

[iMacMart]

Make sure you check out the mobility thread as you probably have tight pecs, delts and rotator cuff muscles.

And are you keeping your elbow in good alignment with your shoulder as you press?

Yes, I don't bash out my reps I try to keep good form at all time

I'll check out that thread

Thanks

 

[Tenzo]

So what are peoples methods for timing deloads?

Are you doing them every 4, 6, 12 weeks or whenever you feel like you need one? For example, when doing Wendler 5/3/1, it had a built in deload every 4th....

 

[mrthingyx]

So what are peoples methods for timing deloads?

Are you doing them every 4, 6, 12 weeks or whenever you feel like you need one? For example, when doing Wendler 5/3/1, it had a built in deload every 4th....

Depends how hard you're pushing...

It can be every fourth week, or whatever. I generally go for fourth/fifth week when strength training.

 

[Tenzo]

Depends how hard you're pushing...

It can be every fourth week, or whatever. I generally go for fourth/fifth week when strength training.

4/5 weeks does seem quite reasnoble. I'm into my 4th week of Madcow now and starting to feel fatigued so will probably go for a deload next week.

Interesting to get another point of view though, thanks

 

[mrthingyx]

Sleep and eat more.

To be fair, when I was weightlifting 3x a week (85-95% intensity depending on the day), I found the first three/four weeks were miserable, as I was doing additional squatting and upper body work on the other days.

However, after around 6-8 weeks of this, I noticed that things started getting a lot easier... presumably due to neuromuscular adaptation, better technique (due to number of repetitions), etc.

My resident coach at work thought I was doing far too much intense volume, but I never felt better or more consistent.

The Bulgarian weightlifting system is based around daily max lifting (and percentages thereof) and it takes months to adapt properly to the point that such a regime becomes 'normal' for the body. I'd guess lifting using MadCows is - whilst much less intense - not really too different in terms of the end effect on the body (concerning recovery).

 

[Tenzo]

Yeah, I think I am a little out of shape and my rest days are not really a proper rest. I'm either doing HIIT or some ring work at the moment.

I agree that Madcow is not that intense, but I am hitting the top end of my lifts now. I am hopeful it will become easier, but I have never squatted so consistently in my life. My glutes are in all kinds of tatters, but I feel like I have them for the first time in my life. Pros and cons

 

[icecold]

Most people don't need to deload at all.

 

[Tenzo]

Most people don't need to deload at all.

Interesting. Why not?

 

[mrthingyx]

Because they don't train hard enough.